Luxury And Performance, The New Kia K8 Is Showcasing Them Well

Ingenuity combined with performance and setting new benchmarks for premium quality in the sedan segment is the all-new Kia K8.

Entirely, the all-new K8 proposes progressive and refined driving performance, cutting-edge Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), and a contemporary, high-tech interior space.

Engineering aspects, the K8 is offered with a total option of four powertrains. All four have been developed to have smooth power delivery while improving fuel economy and reducing emissions.

First off, the most powerful of the four is a 3.5-liter Smartstream engine. It is offered in two power and fuel guises, a GDI (gasoline direct injection) with 300 PS of power and 359 Nm of torque, and a LPI (liquid propane injection) that produces 240 PS of power and 314 Nm of torque.

Following that would be, a 2.5-liter GDI engine. Capable of delivering 198 PS of power and 248 Nm of torque. Like the Smartstream powertrain, this 2.5-liter 4-cylinder also features the GDI and MPI dual injection technology.

As for the entry level powertrain, the Kia K8 will feature a revitalized version of the company’s award-winning 1.6-liter T-GDI engine.

All that power has to be paired to something, thus a smooth 8-speed automatic transmission, which is designed and developed in-house, has been installed along with the 2.5 GDI engine and the 3.5 GDI and LPI Smartstream derivatives.

Also, the 3.5 GDI Smartstream powertrain will feature a front-wheel-based AWD system. This allows the K8 sports sedan to manage power and performance by actively distributing torque between the front and rear wheels depending on road conditions and driving situations.

Moreover, the NVH aspects have been significantly improved as well. The K8 has been engineered with sound dampening materials with a triple solution to the doors which reduces unwanted noises coming from the outside. Vibration levels are also kept to a minimum with a new vibration damper.

Moving into the K8, its interior offers a progressive and modern space with a lounge type cabin that merges nature with technology and luxury with comfort together.

For instance, the interior is fitted with an ergonomically-advanced driver’s seat that uses seven air pockets situated in the backrest, sides and hip areas in order to achieve the perfect seating position and feeling when driving.

It is called the Ergo Motion Seat, in which the leading-edge driver’s seat has a ‘comfort stretching’ mode that individually controls the air pockets of the hip and backrest areas of the seat, creating the effect of stretching while sitting down. 

Adding to that is a ‘smart support’ function that tenses the seat against the body of the driver, creating a unison and helping to inspire total driving confidence. 

The ‘smart support’ function of the seat is activated when the K8 engages into sports driving mode or when the car exceeds 130 km/h. This automatically lowers the height of the hip area of the seat and strengthens the support to the side bolsters. 

Another innovative function is the ‘posture assistance’. It adjusts the air pouches located around the hip and back areas of the seat when driving for more than one hour to provide a luxurious-ish seating position.

Furthermore, enhancing the driver’s comfort is a new cushion extension function that comes with the Ergo Motion Seat, which allows the driver to fully adjust the length of the hip areas of the seat to make it compatible with their height and preferred driving position.

Conveniences are also a priority, as both the front occupants’ seats have a high-tech 8-way adjustable comfort electric function as well as ventilation and heating function for all the seats.

New to the K8 is the personalized climate control. The cabin can be sectioned into three main areas for ambient temperature optimization, meaning each passenger plus the driver experiences their own bespoke lounge environment.

Passengers in the second row of the K8, get a multi-functional fully-connected centre armrest featuring a USB charging port, sliding cup holders and a media control device.

Now, as aforementioned, the interior features more than just lavish upholstery. It comes well equipped with high-tech advanced connectivity for the infotainment and sound quality.

On the dashboard, a modern panoramic curved display panel links the 12-inch digital cluster and the 12-inch infotainment system together. The curved display panel is a first for Kia and it is designed to be clean, ultra-modern and easy-to-use, giving an effective minimalist-meets-simplicity tech style.

Kia K8’s all-new 12-inch head-up display technology has a 50 percent increase in projection area and graphic size compared to the previous generation.

Also, a first ever to be featured on a Kia, is the industry leading sound system from Meridian Audio. The 14-speaker sound system makes use of advanced materials and next-generation innovations to enable the very highest levels of sound quality tuned specifically for the interior of the vehicle.

Said system was built to include a titanium dome vibration plate tweeter that helps to minimize sound distortion and natural wood fibre dresses the vibration plate that is part of the door speaker, adding to the natural and organic ambience of the K8 cabin.

Adding to that, the system creates a three-dimensional surround-sound setting, mimicking the crystal-clear audio that gives an experience of a real concert hall. A feature called the lntelli-Q, which is a data-driven equalization that optimizes audio playback based on data available from the vehicle.

Aside from all of that, the K8 also comes equipped with a suit of Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). It features Kia’s highly acclaimed Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), which helps avoid collisions with objects in front of the vehicle while driving.

Second feature is the Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA) technology that gives out a warning if the car is exceeding the speed limit by using data from the front view camera or navigation system.

Third, is the Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control (NSCC), which helps to drive the K8 at a safe speed using real-time navigation data. Also, if it is set to the current speed limit on the highway during NSCC operation, the set speed is changed automatically whenever the speed limit changes.

Fourth system is the Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2). It helps to maintain a set distance and speed from the vehicle ahead when driving on a highway and helps to centre the vehicle in the lane while driving, even on a curved section.

Fifth feature is the Surround View Monitor (SVM) technology that displays real-time video footage of the environment around the K8, in which it further increases the safety especially during parking manoeuvres.

Sixth is the Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA). It helps avoid collisions with rear objects while reversing. And if there is a risk of collision with a rear object while reversing, PCA provides a warning.

Last safety feature is the Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA). This technology helps the driver to remotely park or exit a parking spot from outside the vehicle.

Extending that list is the overall body build. The K8 has been created from high-strength, lightweight steels to ensure overall occupant safety. 

Standard features include nine different safety restraint and structure system applications, including driver airbag, driver knee airbag, passenger airbag, two front-side airbags, two rear-side airbags and two side-curtain airbags.

All in all, the new Kia K8 boasts a complete package that offers a state-of-the-art tech, modern luxurious ‘lounge’, tip-top dynamic performance while still being fairly economical. It will go on-sale in selected global markets starting from next month, with the Korean market getting first dibs.